Allahabad HC restrains UP govt from further demolition of Fatehpur's Noori Jama Masjid

Prayagraj, Nov 14 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court has restrained the Uttar Pradesh government from taking any further demolition action at the over 180-year-old Noori Jama Masjid in Fatehpur.

A bench of justices Atul Sreedharan and Arun Kumar passed the order Thursday on a writ petition filed by the mosque's managing committee.

The petitioner committee approached the court saying that a portion of the structure had already been razed following a notice issued by the authorities.

During the course of hearing, the state counsel submitted that the demolition had been undertaken for the purposes of the widening of an adjoining road and that the work was "already complete".

However, the petitioner's counsel denied factual accuracy of the statement and said that the work is still pending and that the mosque would be further demolished if not protected till the next date of hearing.

In this backdrop, the standing counsel gave an undertaking before the high court that till the next date of hearing, no further demolition would be carried out. The undertaking forms part of this order.

The court in its order formally recorded this assurance and directed, "Till the next date of listing, no further action of the demolition shall take place in the mosque." However, looking into urgency and need of widening the road, the court directed that the case be listed on top of the item on November 17 as fresh so that the state counsel can seek reply in the meantime.

The mosque in Lalauli village of Fatehpur district is built in the architectural style prevalent at the time.

According to the petitioner, it has historically served as a religious, cultural and social hub for the local Muslims and continues to function as a place of worship and cultural preservation.

Last year, the Public Works Department of Uttar Pradesh government had issued a notice to the management committee regarding its proposal to demolish a vital part of mosque for road widening.

Essentially, a 40-foot area on both sides of NH 335 for about 2 km, including a 150-sq ft section of the mosque, was proposed to be used by the authorities. PTI COR RAJ ZMN